The present invention is related generally to instruments or tools used within the dental and/or medical professions, and more specifically related to a ligation instrument used for gripping and tying various ligatures used in such professions, which is constructed to be rotatably driven and readily disassemblable for sterilization through autoclaving thereof.
The use and tying of ligatures is commonplace in the dental and medical profession during orthodontic and surgical procedures, as well as other medical procedures requiring the setting of bones, etc. Conventional ligating instruments for such use generally comprise a miniature pliers which is constructed of autoclavable stainless steel. The instrument typically includes a pair of relatively small jaws capable of gripping the ends of a fine wire or other ligature in locking relation so as to allow the dentist or doctor, or assistant thereof, to manually twist the tool by hand, so as to wind the wire or ligature for tying the same.
Such conventional tools, which require manual hand manipulation are time consuming to use, and can cause significant fatigue to the user. Moreover, continued use of such tools may eventually lead to more serious health related problems associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, due to the frequent and repeated rotative twisting movement which the user must make in order to twist the ligature for tying the same. Not only is the use of such conventional tools extremely time consuming, their repeated use can lead to significant health problems.
Such conventional tools are cumbersome to manipulate by hand, particularly in areas of small compass, which oftentimes results in poor quality ligature ties that are rough or jagged, and looser than desirable. Such poor quality ties can cause chafing of a person's mouth, and in more delicate operations, can be a significant safety and durability concern.
The problems associated with conventional ligation instruments are long standing, and have become even more significant in recent years through the heightened awareness of the health problems associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. As long as dentists have been practicing orthodontics, and bones have been set with the tying of ligatures, such conventional ligation tools, and the significant problems associated therewith, have been present.
As can be seen from the above, there is significant need for a ligation tool which is easier to use in delicate operations, and which will reduce or eliminate the time, fatigue and carpal tunnel health problems associated through repeated use thereof. It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide an improved ligation instrument which produces a higher quality ligature tie, and eliminates the need for the user of such a tool to continually and repeatedly impart a twisting motion thereto through repetitive movement of their wrist and fingers. By elimination of the need for such movement, the fatigue and likelihood of eventual problems with carpal tunnel syndrome will be significantly reduced, as well as the time necessary for completing the tying of such a ligature.
In addition to the above, it is the object of the present invention to provide such an improved ligation instrument which is constructed completely of an autoclavable material, and which is readily disassemblable to facilitate ease and effectiveness of sterilization through autoclaving.